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Jet Aviation in St. Louis installs FANS in oldest Challenger 604

Lead Avionics Technician Rusty Gardner works on a FANS installation in a Challenger

March 7, 2017

Jet Aviation has equipped the oldest Challenger 604 with the up-to-date Future Aircraft Navigation System (FANS). The installation was performed at its facility in St. Louis.

"The Challenger 604 that we installed the FANS in was the first one ever delivered to a customer back in 1995 and is the oldest one still flying,” said Blake Hogge, senior manager, Avionics Sales, at Jet Aviation in St. Louis. “Bombardier produced 363 Challenger 604s to replace the 601 model, and now the oldest one still in the air has the most modern navigation system available to assist the owner with navigation worldwide. We worked with Rockwell Collins to develop the STC (supplemental type certificate) for their FANS solution, and we completed the industry’s first FANS installations in Challenger 604s more than a year ago. We’ve completed more than 10 FANS installations in 604s so far.”Jet Aviation’s service center in St. Louis completed the installation in the historic Challenger 604 in less than three weeks, delivering it to the owner two days ahead of schedule. “It took some real dedication by our team, but we were convinced we could deliver exactly the product and the service the customer needed in the time he could give us,” Hogge said.Customer Scott Wells, quality assurance manager for Presidential Aviation, said he chose Jet Aviation at St. Louis because of its obvious expertise in FANS installations. “St. Louis had the most knowledge and experience based on feedback we got from everyone else,” he said. “And St. Louis had the answers right away when we talked to them. We could immediately see the experience and the expertise. The whole process was really smooth. The FANS system is working great. We haven’t had any issues.”

Rockwell Collins said its FANS solution includes the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract (ADS-C) and Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC), which reduces pilot workload and enhances the clarity and accuracy of pilot communications with Air Navigation Service Providers in oceanic and remote airspace worldwide.